With February 14th just a few days away, flower and candy shops are scrambling to keep up with demand. As dinner reservations are made and cards with messages of endearment fly off the shelves, it’s worth asking:

What is it about Cupid’s holiday that inspires the romantic within us?

Back in 1965, Nat King Cole spelled the answer out in one word: L-O-V-E. Songs about love – and loss of love – continue to dominate music charts because love is a language we all speak. It hits home and touches us.

I’ll be spending this weekend at a beautiful cabin with my husband Mike in Blue Ridge Mountains with four of our dear friends, some of which we’ve known for over 45 years. It’s a fitting location for Valentine’s Day. Mike and I were blessed to renew our vows after 20 years of marriage at this very same cabin. Take a peek at our renewal video to the tune of Nat King Cole.

I cherish the love of my life. He is a loving, kind and generous husband who always provides and takes care of his family. I make a point of never taking these gifts for granted.

While many of us will share Sunday with our spouses or significant others, the message of the importance and universality of love that embodies Valentine’s Day spreads beyond just romantic partners.

It’s important to honor ALL the loves in your life.

Your Children.

If you’re blessed to have children, take time to appreciate the gift you have in your life. Children may require more time, energy and commitment than you ever imagined in your pre-parent days, but they are the greatest thing you’ll ever create.

• Always make time for them. Busy professionals and entrepreneurs have sprawling to-do lists, but spending quality time with your kids should always top the list.
• Love them unconditionally. That means making sure they know you mean the world to them irrespective of their grades, their professional success and the choices they make.
• Encourage them to dream big. Instead of judging your children or encouraging them to have more realistic goals, let them dream big. After all, you want to build your own legacy — why not encourage them to do the same. If they fall, motivate them to get back up again. Obstacles and failure are part and parcel of growth.

Your Parents

For those of you still fortunate enough to have your parents, treasure them. As parents age, we have an opportunity to honor them and express gratitude for all they have given us.

• Check in regularly. To ensure you maintain regular contact despite your hectic schedule, pencil visits and calls into your day planner.
• Make sure they have what they need. Whether it’s helping them get to doctors’ appointments or arranging for their snow to be shovelled, look out for them.
• Be present. You may not be able to spend as much time with your parents as you like, but make sure the time you do spend is quality time. Turn off your phone and shut out distractions whenever you call or visit.

Your Team

Make sure that your employees or colleagues feel the love on Valentine’s Day and – indeed – everyday. If you’re an entrepreneur, you know that a team allows you to accomplish more than you ever could on your own.

• Acknowledge their efforts. In our hectic fast-paced world, it’s easy to take your employees or colleagues for granted. When they do good work, acknowledge them. Words of recognition can make people feel more positive about contributing and motivate them to produce even greater results. Gratitude should be part of your daily routine.
• Seek their feedback. One of the best ways to make employees feel valued is by asking for their input and ideas. When you welcome their opinions, not only will they feel valued, but you’ll benefit from the feedback of people who play a hands-on role in your business. They can share a different perspective on how to drive sales, improve client relations or increase efficiencies.
• Learn to let go. It’s your job to make sure you have the right experts on your team. Once you’ve entrusted someone with a job, learn to let them own it. Some business entrepreneurs struggle to give up control and wind up doing everything themselves. However, it’s important to show your team that you trust them and value what they bring to the table.

Your Business

The only way to succeed in the new economy as a direct sales professional or business entrepreneur is to be passionate about your business. To grow your business and achieve greater sales, you need to be committed to implementing strategies consistently – day in and day out. If you don’t love what you do, you’ll find it near impossible to stay on track.

• Do what you do best. When you’re bogged down by trying to juggle a myriad of responsibilities, you wind up doing less and less of what you do best. If you’re a rock star salesperson, the bulk of your time should be spent in sales. If you’re an effective coach, you should spend most of your week coaching. In order to allocate your time this way, you need to build a team of experts around you to keep the other aspects of your business running smoothly.
• Have a clear plan. If you love your business and want it to succeed, you owe it to yourself to give it a fighting chance. Without a clear, measurable action plan, your business will never achieve sustained growth. Set monthly and annual goals, and identify the tasks you need to complete each and every day to “Double Plus” your income.
• Love your clients. Without customers or clients, you have no business. When people give you their business, give them your appreciation, your integrity and the best possible service. Remember that clients are your best source of referral business, and they can always choose to take their business elsewhere.
• Work with an accountability partner. If you love you business and are committed to growing it, you need someone to hold your feet to the fire as you execute your action plan. At Celeste Giordano Coaching, I work closely with clients to make sure they have the accountability necessary to stay on track to reach their goals.

Let Valentine’s Day be a reminder that unconditional love is a powerful force in both your personal and professional life. Show passion and compassion for the people and things that matter most to you and you’ll build a more fulfilling, prosperous life for yourself and your loved ones.

May your life be filled with love, prosperity and blessing in all that you do.